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The Diocese of Gozo ( la, Dioecesis Goulos-Gaudisiensis) is a Latin bishopric (
diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
) of the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
in
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
, and the only
suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...
in the
ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United State ...
of the Metropolitan
Archdiocese of Malta The Archdiocese of Malta ( Malti: ''Arċidjoċesi ta' Malta'') is a metropolitan archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in Malta. History Tradition claims that St. Paul the Apostle established the diocese of Malta in the year 60 ...
, together covering the insular state. The
diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
comprises the island of
Gozo Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After t ...
(seventeen miles west of the Maltese capital
Valletta Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an Local councils of Malta, administrative unit and capital city, capital of Malta. Located on the Malta (island), main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, i ...
) and the islet of
Comino Comino ( mt, Kemmuna) is a small island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of ...
.


History

On a central plateau the ruined fortifications of an ancient town contain the cathedral church and public buildings, outside of which is a large suburb. Up to the year 1864, Gozo formed part of the then
Roman Catholic Diocese of Malta The Archdiocese of Malta (Malti: ''Arċidjoċesi ta' Malta'') is a metropolitan archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in Malta. History Tradition claims that St. Paul the Apostle established the diocese of Malta in the year 60 A. ...
, but Pope
Pius IX Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
, acceding to requests by the clergy and the people, erected it into a separate, then exempt diocese, i.e. immediately subject to the Holy See. On 16 March 1863,
Michael Franciscus Buttigieg Michael Franciscus Buttigieg (3 November 1793 – 12 July 1866) was a Maltese prelate who became the first Roman Catholic Diocese of Gozo, Bishop of Gozo in 1864. Buttigieg was born on November 3, 1793 in Qala, Malta, Qala, Gozo, Malta and bap ...
, a native of Gozo, was appointed
titular Bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...
of Lita and deputy auxiliary of the Archbishop-Bishop of Malta, for the Island of Gozo. He was consecrated at Rome on 3 May of the same year, on 22 September 1864, was created first bishop of the new Diocese of Gozo, and on the 23rd day of the following month made his entry into the new cathedral. This Church, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, is the oldest parish in Gozo. It was already working as a parish in 1241 and goes back to Byzantine period. Through the efforts of Pietro Pace,
vicar-general A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ...
of the diocese, a diocesan seminary was established on the site formerly occupied by the San Giuliano Hospital, the revenues of which were appropriated to the new institution. This seminary was inaugurated 3 November 1866, and by the express desire of Pius IX placed under the direction of the
Jesuits The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
. On the death of Buttigieg,
Paolo Micallef Paolo Micallef (15 May 1818 - 8 March 1883) was a Maltese prelate who served as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Pisa, Archbishop of Pisa from 1871 until his death in 1883. Pawlu Micallef was born in Valletta Malta on 15 May 1818. He joined the Augus ...
,
Superior General A superior general or general superior is the leader or head of a religious institute in the Catholic Church and some other Christian denominations. The superior general usually holds supreme executive authority in the religious community, while t ...
of the Augustinian Order, was made
Bishop of Città di Castello A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
and appointed administrator of the Diocese of Gozo. He left Gozo in May, 1867, and in 1871 became
Archbishop of Pisa The Archdiocese of Pisa ( la, Archidioecesis Pisana) is a metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Pisa, Italy.717,_Pisan.html" ;"title="708, Pisan); on 30–31 July 1716 708,_Pisan);_on_30–31_July_1716_[1717,_Pisan_and_on_31_J_...
._His_successor_to_the_administration_of_the_diocese_was_Antonius_Grech_Delicata_Testaferrata.html" ;"title="717, Pisan">708, Pisan); on 30–31 July 1716 [1717, Pisan and on 31 J ...
. His successor to the administration of the diocese was Antonius Grech Delicata Testaferrata">717, Pisan">708, Pisan); on 30–31 July 1716 [1717, Pisan and on 31 J ...
. His successor to the administration of the diocese was Antonius Grech Delicata Testaferrata, titular Bishop of Chalcedon, a native of Malta, who in 1868 was appointed Bishop of Gozo, and as such assisted at the First Vatican Council. Grech Delicata's divested himself of his own patrimony in favour of the poor; he died on the last day of 1876. On 12 March 1877, Pietro Pace, native of Gozo, was appointed to succeed Grech Delicata, and was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal
Edward Henry Howard Edward Henry Howard (13 February 1829 – 16 September 1892) was an English Catholic priest and archbishop, who was made a cardinal in 1877. He was a relative of the Dukes of Norfolk. Life Howard was the son of Edward Gyles Howard, by his marri ...
. Under his administration the seminary was augmented by the installation of a meteorological
observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...
, which was inaugurated by Padre Denza, director of the
Vatican Observatory The Vatican Observatory () is an astronomical research and educational institution supported by the Holy See. Originally based in the Roman College of Rome, the Observatory is now headquartered in Castel Gandolfo, Italy and operates a telescope a ...
. During this administration an episcopal educational institute for girls was also established, under the care of the
Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul The Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul ( la, Societas Filiarum Caritatis a Sancto Vincentio de Paulo), commonly called the Daughters of Charity or Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent De Paul, is a Society of Apostolic ...
, to whom was also entrusted the direction of the annexed orphan asylum. The same bishop provided the diocese with a new episcopal palace and new monasteries, besides laying out large sums of money on the cathedral. In 1889 Pace was promoted Archbishop of
Rhodes Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the So ...
and
Bishop of Malta The Archdiocese of Malta (Malti: ''Arċidjoċesi ta' Malta'') is a metropolitan archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in Malta. History Tradition claims that St. Paul the Apostle established the diocese of Malta in the year 60 A ...
. His successor in the See of Gozo was G. M. Camilleri, a native of
Valletta Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an Local councils of Malta, administrative unit and capital city, capital of Malta. Located on the Malta (island), main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, i ...
(b. 15 March 1842). Under Camilleri's administration the first diocesan synod was celebrated, in October, 1903. This synod was necessary as the diocese was still governed under the outdated rules of the Synod of Malta of 1703. Constitutions and decrees were also promulgated and published. In May 1990, it was visited by
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
.


Bishops of Gozo


Special churches

* Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...
- The cathedral church of Gozo was built in 1697-1703, by Lorenzo Gafa. Its ground plan is in the form of a Latin cross. The cathedral is also the annual pilgrimage site of the Grand Priory of the Mediterranean of the
Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem The Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, also known as the Leper Brothers of Jerusalem or simply as Lazarists, was a Catholic military order (monastic society), military order founded by crusaders around 1119 at a leprosy, leper hospital in Jerus ...
. Its interior is adorned with fine paintings. The "Massagiere di Maria", an Italian periodical, is recognized in the Diocese of Gozo as the official organ of the sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu. * Basilica and Collegiate Parish of St George in
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...
*
Rotunda of Xewkija The Church of Saint John the Baptist, commonly known as the Rotunda of Xewkija or Xewkija Rotunda, is a Roman Catholic church in Xewkija, Gozo, Malta. History On 27 November 1678, Bishop Miguel Jerónimo de Molina raised Xewkija from a hamlet to ...
in
Xewkija Xewkija ( mt, Ix-Xewkija, it, Casal Xeuchia, pronounced and written as Casal Sceuchia) is an administrative unit of Malta, on the island of Gozo. The population of Xewkija is 3,300 as of March 2014. History Xewkija, which is situated between G ...
* Basilica and National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu in
Għarb Għarb ( mt, L-Għarb) is an administrative unit of Malta, located at the westernmost point of the island of Gozo, with a population of 1,539 people (as of March 2014). History Għarb started as a small hamlet which developed around the middle ...
* Basilica and Collegiate Parish of the Visitation in Għarb * Basilica and Collegiate Parish of St Peter and St Paul in
Nadur Nadur ( mt, In-Nadur) is an administrative unit of Malta, located in the eastern part of the island of Gozo. Nadur is built on a plateauand is one of the largest localities in Gozo. Known as the 'second city', it spreads along a high ridge to ...
* Basilica and Collegiate Parish of the Nativity of Mary in
Xagħra Xagħra ( mt, Ix-Xagħra) is an administrative unit of Malta, on the island of Gozo. It is one of the earliest inhabited parts of Gozo, being home to the Ġgantija megalithic temples which date back to the year 3600BC and the Xagħra Stone Circl ...


Important dates

* 23 April: Memorial of
Saint George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...
- Patron Saint of the Diocese * 22 June: Feast of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu * 15 August: Solemnity of the
Assumption of Mary The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it in 1950 in his apostolic constitution ''Munificentissimus Deus'' as follows: We proclaim and define it to be a dogma revealed by Go ...
- Patroness of the Maltese Archipelago. * 16 September: Anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese * 11 October: Dedication of the Diocesan Cathedral * 21 October: Memorial of
Saint Ursula Saint Ursula (Latin for 'little female bear', german: link=no, Heilige Ursula) is a legendary Romano-British Christian saint who died on 21 October 383. Her feast day in the pre-1970 General Roman Calendar is 21 October. There is little infor ...
- Patron Saint of the Diocese


Parishes


References


Sources and external links


Gozo Diocese own site



See also

*
Culture of Malta The culture of Malta reflects various societies that have come into contact with the Maltese Islands throughout the centuries, including neighbouring Mediterranean cultures, and the cultures of the nations that ruled Malta for long periods of ti ...
* History of Malta * List of Churches in Malta *
List of monasteries and convents in Malta This is a list of monasteries and convents in Malta and Gozo: *De La Salle Brothers (Freres), with their monastery at Cottonera Road, Birgu *Little Sisters of the Poor (Sorijiet iż-Żgħar tal-Foqra), with their monastery at Little Sisters Stree ...
*
Religion in Malta The Catholic branch of Christianity is the predominant religion in Malta. The Constitution of Malta establishes Catholicism as the state religion, and it is also reflected in various elements of Maltese culture; however, in recent years the ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gozo, Diocese Gozo Roman Catholic dioceses in Malta